Active Shooter

An active shooter is a person who appears to be actively engaged in killing or attempting
to kill people in a populated area; in most cases active shooters use firearm(s) and
there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. These situations are
dynamic and evolve rapidly, demanding immediate deployment of law enforcement resources
to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to innocent victims. This document provides
guidance to faculty, staff, and students who may be caught in an active shooter situation,
and describes what to expect from responding police officers.

Guidance to faculty, staff, and students

In general, how you respond to an active shooter will be dictated by the specific
circumstances of the encounter, bearing in mind there could be more than one shooter
involved in the same situation. If you find yourself involved in an active shooter
situation, try to remain calm and use these guidelines to help you plan a strategy
for survival.

If an active shooter is outside your building

Proceed to a room that can be locked, close and lock all the windows and doors, and
turn off all the lights; if possible, get everyone down on the floor and ensure that
no one is visible from outside the room. One person in the room should call 911, advise
the dispatcher of what is taking place, and inform him/her of your location; remain
in place until the police, or a campus administrator known to you, gives the "all
clear". Unfamiliar voices may be the shooter attempting to lure victims from their
safe space; do not respond to any voice commands until you can verify with certainty
that they are being issued by a police officer.

If an active shooter is in the same building you are

Determine if the room you are in can be locked and if so, follow the same procedure
described in the previous paragraph. If your room can’t be locked, determine if there
is a nearby location that can be reached safely and secured, or if you can safely
exit the building. If you decide to move from your current location, be sure to follow
the instructions outlined below.

If an active shooter enters your office or classroom

Try to remain calm. Dial 911 if possible, and alert police to the shooter’s location;
if you can’t speak, leave the line open so the dispatcher can listen to what’s taking
place. Normally the location of a 911 call can be determined without speaking. If
there is absolutely no opportunity for escape or hiding, it might be possible to negotiate
with the shooter; attempting to overpower the shooter with force should be considered
a very last resort, after all other options have been exhausted. If the shooter leaves
the area, proceed immediately to a safer place and do not touch anything that was
in the vicinity of the shooter.

No matter what the circumstances

If you decide to flee during an active shooting situation, make sure you have an escape
route and plan in mind. Do not attempt to carry anything while fleeing; move quickly,
keep your hands visible, and follow the instructions of any police officers you may
encounter. Do not attempt to remove injured people; instead, leave wounded victims
where they are and notify authorities of their location as soon as possible. Do not
try to drive off campus until advised it is safe to do so by police or campus administrators.

What to expect from responding police officers

Police officers responding to an active shooter are trained to proceed immediately
to the area in which shots were last heard; their purpose is to stop the shooting
as quickly as possible. The first responding officers will normally be in teams of
four (4); they may be dressed in regular patrol uniforms, or they may be wearing external
bulletproof vests, Kevlar helmets, and other tactical equipment. The officers may
be armed with rifles, shotguns, or handguns, and might be using pepper spray or tear
gas to control the situation. Regardless of how they appear, remain calm, do as the
officers tell you, and do not be afraid of them. Put down any bags or packages you
may be carrying and keep your hands visible at all times; if you know where the shooter
is, tell the officers. The first officers to arrive will not stop to aid injured people;
rescue teams composed of other officers and emergency medical personnel will follow
the first officers into secured areas to treat and remove injured persons. Keep in
mind that even once you have escaped to a safer location, the entire area is still
a crime scene; police will usually not let anyone leave until the situation is fully
under control and all witnesses have been identified and questioned. Until you are
released, remain at whatever assembly point authorities designate.